The Following recap: "Guilt"

Carroll finally gets Claire

Carroll's latest plan to apprehend Claire is successful, and Hardy is convinced he has a death curse. Meanwhile, Jacob develops an affinity for murder.

Tonight on The Following, Carroll (James Purefoy) sends out two mercenaries named Brock and Vince to retrieve Claire. The militaristic attitude of the men combined with their lack of emotion means they'll murder anyone who gets in their way. With a wake of bodies in their path, Roderick and the two killers track after Hardy and Claire.

Claire and Hardy

Hardy (Kevin Bacon) goes AWOL with Claire, knowing that if they leave any sort of trail, the cult will find them. Hardy takes Claire to a safe place, which turns out to be the house of Hardy's best friend Tyson (guest star David Zayas) who is in witness protection. Tyson seems to be the only person Hardy has ever gotten close to, and he counsels Claire not to give up on Hardy.

Claire doesn't. Instead she drops the L-word, and Hardy admits he loves her too.

Through flashbacks, we see the only other woman Hardy has ever gotten semi-serious with. It was a woman named Molly. Tyson says that Claire was the only one Hardy has ever let in completely but that Molly was close. Tyson alludes to the fact that Hardy did eventually push her away.

Hardy is apparently convinced he has a death curse. He believes that everyone who gets close to him dies.

As a self-fulfilling prophecy, Claire finds a tracker hidden in her jacket, which means the following knows Claire and Hardy's location. As night falls, Tyson, Hardy and Claire wait for the cult to attack. Tyson has a stockpile of weapons but limited ammo.

Still, Hardy is able to kill one of the three men. But in the shootout, Tyson is wounded.

After seeing all of the death her run is causing, Claire gives herself up to Roderick. Hardy doesn't catch the car in time and can't follow the vehicle because his tires have been slashed. Claire mouths "I love you" as the car drives away.

Joey and Carroll

Carroll is still trying to get close to his son Joey. While Roderick is off murdering people to apprehend Claire, Carroll is making s'mores with Joey in an attempt to get the boy to trust him.

Carroll's plan seems to work as Joey warms up to him. Carroll tells Joey he can ask him anything he wants. Joey wants to know when he'll see his mom again. Carroll promises it will be "really, really soon."

FBI

The FBI is able to hack into Vince's email. Once inside, they find a coded URL that directs them to a hidden website. The website directs them to a video message that congratulates the viewer on finding the site and offers them access to Carroll's cult. There is a slot for the viewer to enter their name and email address and a representative will contact them. Could this be setting the FBI up for an undercover operation? Planting someone inside Carroll's house would definitely be an interesting turn of events.

Jacob and Emma

Carroll asks Jacob to forgive Emma, but Jacob is being plagued by visions of Paul, and Paul wants Emma dead.

Still, Jacob goes to see Emma and listens to what she has to say for Carroll's sake. Emma begs Jacob for his forgiveness, but he seems passive about her pleas.

She continues to seek his forgiveness. At the end of the episode, she goes to his room. He allows her to enter. She asks if he's OK, but he doesn't respond. She says she wants to earn back his trust, and she strokes his face. He doesn't pull away so she kisses him. He starts to kiss her back.

But then Jacob sees Paul standing by the bed. He bolts from the room into his bathroom. Paul says he wants Jacob to kill Emma, but Jacob refuses. Instead, in his vision, he kills Paul again. Only this time he uses a knife.

When he exits the bathroom, he seems stoic again. Emma asks if he is OK. Jacob admits he is the one who killed Paul.

Emma hugs him comfortingly, telling him it's OK.

Jacob tells Emma he killed his best friend because of Emma. His grip on her tightens as he explains that he has a real taste for killing now. Emma begins to struggle against him. Jacob tells Emma to watch her back. He finally lets her go and leaves the room.

Molly is a follower

A car arrives at Carroll's house. A woman exits. At first it seems like it must be Claire, but she walks into Joe's study and it turns out to be Molly, Hardy's ex-girlfriend. She greets Carroll like he's an old friend.

Now Carroll has Hardy's past love and his present under one roof, surely a ploy to continue the games and shape Hardy as the lead character.